Promoter expects a big year for Rotherham's Taz Nadeem

The GBM Sports boss says the 25-year-old super middleweight will grow from his experiences of his first nine professional fights, which included his first defeat.

Taz, who works as a butcher in Masbrough and lives in Moorgate, slipped to his first loss in November, to Ryszard Lewicki in Hull.

It took place in a novel three-round tournament called The Heist.

Defeat will only spur his man on, insists Asif.

"Taz gained a lot of experience from the tournament and picked up a lot of fans as well.

"Yes, if you lose, you get a loss on your record, but it is not thought of as such, because of the nature of the competition (short-form.)

"We will get him back to six or eight rounders and then into 10 rounds. Taz wants title fights; he wants belts" added Asif.

"We'll get him back in one or two fights and then on to championship fights - I believe he belongs there.

"He has had enough experience he learned a lot from the Heist.

"Taz will come back stronger. What happened will only raise his stock."

Another local boxer looking to bounce back from defeat is 23-year-old Junaid Bostan, who hails from Eastwood.

His last two fights have been a draw and a loss to emerging force Bilal Fawaz, which meant Junaid's opponent walked away with the vacant English super welterweight belt and was then offered a contract with Matchroom.

Bostan, himself a Matchroom asset, will return on the Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington card in Nottingham on February 21 - Bostan's 24th birthday. His opponent has yet to be named.

Fawaz will compete for the British and Commonwealth titles at the same show against Ishmael Davis, which illustrates the ups and downs of the sport.

Bostan was boosted last weekend, having travelled to America to watch his Steel City gym buddy Dalton Smith become world champion at super lightweight.

He posted on Instagram: "A dream turned into reality for my bro...happy days."

*Asif is rolling out a new programme of 'Heist' tournaments across four continents this year.